On October 29th, professionals in international recruitment from universities and business schools across Spain joined us at CUNEF Universidad for our second annual in-person event in Madrid: From curiosity to enrollment: the international student journey in Spain.
The day revolved around the international student's journey in Spain, with an agenda that followed a clear thread. First, the data: who are the international students looking towards Spain today? Then, two talks on university communication: how to make an institution recognisable when they all seem to use the same vocabulary, and how to turn student experience into a communication strategy. To close, a roundtable built around an uncomfortable question: what do today's international students need that universities are not providing?
Here's a look at the key insights from each session in Madrid:
Spain's popularity as a study destination
The first session explored the latest data from Keystone Education Group, presented by Teo de la Rosa, Digital Marketing Specialist, offering insights into international student interest in Spain.
Is Spain a popular study destination?
Spain is the fourth most popular study destination worldwide among international students searching across Keystone's platforms, accounting for 5,43% of global searches. It also ranks among the top three destinations for students from 11 of the 12 main international student audiences in the country, and is the number one choice for those searching from Italy, Romania and Morocco.
What are the most popular fields of study among international students in Spain?
By broad field of study, 'Business and Professional' leads the way (34%), followed by 'Science and Engineering' (20%) and 'Social Sciences' (16%). Looking at individual disciplines, 'Business and Economics' accounts for the largest share of searches (18%), while 'Arts and Humanities' and 'Social Sciences' are tied at 14%.
How does the student experience in Spain compare with other European destinations?
Compared to other popular European study destinations such as Germany, France, and Italy, Spain scores higher in 'Culture and Leisure' (88/100), as well as in 'Safety', 'Entry and visa', and 'Affordability'. However, Spain is outscored by all three other destinations in 'Academic reputation' (81/100) and 'Program offering' (80/100). This perception gap around academic quality is one of the main challenges Spanish universities need to address.
How can universities differentiate themselves from the competition?
Catalina Cobos, Digital Marketing Manager at CUNEF Universidad, addressed a challenge shared by many higher education institutions: they can all sound almost the same. Values such as excellence, innovation and purpose feature in the communications of almost every university. As a result, if the logo were covered, it would be difficult to tell one from another.
Her starting point was that a brand shapes perception: the logo activates everything built around it. This is why simply communicating institutional attributes is not enough. Instead, she proposed asking two questions before developing any communication: what value can students find in your university? And what will make them remember the institution as their own?
Her recommendation was to start by understanding what students think, fear and listen to at each stage. Those considering an undergraduate degree want to know whether they can picture themselves living there, while prospective postgraduate students are more likely to ask whether a program will bring them closer to their career goals. In both cases, the decision is about belonging, feeling capable and choosing a future career path.
Cobos's central argument was that institutional attributes only matter when they help deliver on the university's promise. They need to address the student's underlying question: what will I be able to do with what I learn? A strong value proposition brings together what the institution does well, what matters to the student and what it can demonstrate. Each communication channel has its own role, but all must contribute to building a consistent brand, with the ultimate goal of moving from being found to being sought out.
Turning the international student experience into a communication strategy
Gaia Vecchiet, International Content Marketing Officer at Universidad Católica de Murcia, outlined a shift in the communication strategies. The traditional approach focuses on attracting students through visibility, promotion, information and conversion. A more strategic approach, however, is built around community and reputation, grounded in experience, participation and belonging. Her underlying idea was simple: data shows what an institution is, but stories show what it means to be part of it.
This shift means moving from talking about students to communicating with them, embracing participation, diverse voices, and authenticity. It also means recognising that experience comes before communication. As Vecchiet explained, a sense of belonging cannot be communicated if no work has gone into building it. Only when that experience is real can universities tell authentic stories about it.
She also highlighted that translating is not the same as adapting. A university's identity needs to resonate with different audiences, contexts, and motivations, and what works in one market does not necessarily work in another. That is why an international strategy requires adapting, testing and measuring, following a cycle of research, adaptation, experimentation, measurement, and learning.
Vecchiet further proposed measuring the value of communication on four levels: visibility, interaction, trust and impact. it is not simply about how much an institution communicates, but about the value that communication generates. She closed by highlighting the journey from student experience to institutional value, reinforcing one central idea: internationalization is not only communicated but also lived, shared and built.
What do international students in Spain need that universities are not providing?
To finish the day, Gabriela Díaz Moreno, Senior Customer Success Manager at Keystone, hosted a roundtable with Raquel Olmo, Director of the Centro Superior de Idiomas at the Universidad de Alicante, and Marta Castro, Institutional Outreach Specialist at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. The open conversation explored the gaps between what international students expect and what universities offer, with the aim of identifying concrete ways to address them.
The three earlier talks had set the stage: perceptions of academic quality, the weight of cost and self-confidence as barriers, and the importance of experience and belonging.
The discussion brought different key themes to the forefront:
Return on investment is becoming increasingly important for students
International students are looking beyond the academic experience and paying closer attention to what their investment will bring them in the long term. The cost of living, financial support opportunities, career prospects and access to internships are all playing a growing role in their university choices. Institutions need to recognise that attracting students is not just about selling a degree, but demonstrating the value it can deliver.
Managing expectations is essential to keeping students engaged
When universities create unrealistic expectations from the very first interaction, the gap between what students imagine and what they actually experience can lead to frustration and, ultimately, disengagement. Both sides highlighted the importance of being honest and transparent throughout the recruitment journey. Setting realistic expectations from the outset is key to building trust and preventing students from dropping out along the way.
Spain has much more to offer to international students than sun and a lovely social scene
Lifestyle, leisure and culture remain important factors in attracting international students to the country, but they should not overshadow the quality of its higher education system. Spanish universities are increasingly recognized for their academic standards and reputation, giving institutions another strong argument to build on when positioning Spain as an international study destination.
Keystone Education Group thanks CUNEF Universidad for hosting us, Catalina Cobos and Gaia Vecchiet for their talks, Raquel Olmo and Marta Castro for taking part in the debate, and all attendees for coming and being part of the conversation.
Want to join us in person?
Our latest event in Spain is one of many in-person events we host globally. If you'd like to join us, take a look at our events page to see where we're heading next!